The Gift of Giving
by Jaina Solo2
Summary: McGee's nervous about his Christmas present for Ziva. McGiva


**Title:** The Gift of Giving  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Characters: **Ziva David/Timothy McGee, Tony/Abby (sorta) Jenny/Gibbs**  
Category: **Romance  
**Genre: **Het.   
**Prompt: **#48 Diamond  
**Word Count: **1,090  
**Rating: **PG**  
****Summary: **McGee's nervous about his Christmas present for Ziva.  
**Author's Note: **No one freak out. This one's a McGiva fic. I wrote it as a thing for **Smackalalala **who requested a McGiva holiday fic. This is the result. Unbeta'd so all errors are of course mine.  
**Spoilers: **None, really, unless you're counting Ziva's existence a spoiler.  
**Disclaimer: **These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

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**"McGee!" Abby's annoyed exclamation is right next to his ear. It doesn't help that he's been nervous all night long. "Stop that," she hisses as several of the room's other occupants look his way.

He tries to summon up a easy smile for Abby, but mostly he just feels nauseous. "Stop what?" 

"You've been patting your pocket every few seconds since you got here. I'm starting to worry about you." She loops an arm around his neck. "Is everything okay, Timmy?"

Everything is most definitely not okay. Mostly because at the moment he can smell Abby's breath and it's clear that she's had a drink or two, and tonight he's too nervous to deal with Abby. 

"Have you seen Tony," he blurts. 

"Tony?" She frowns. "I think he was in the kitchen talking to Cammy from accounting."

"Right," Tim glances down at his watch. No time. "Let's go see if Tony was successful."

Abby blinks over at him. 

"Are you sure? 'Cause Tony-"

"Tony will be happy to see you," he cuts her off. "He always is."

"That's true," Abby grins as Tim steers her towards the kitchen. She slips away from McGee when she sees Tony. Tripping over her boot, she almost falls into Tony's lap. Instinctively he catches her and slides a hand around her waist to steady her.

"Hey, Abs," Tony drawls. "Nice of you to drop in." He flashes her a trademark DiNozzo smile and she smiles back at him, McGee now forgotten.

Tim lets out a sigh that he hadn't realized that he's been holding. He has a moment of pure panic, and blindly he reaches into his pocket, fumbling around until he can feel it again. He holds it tightly for a moment and then loosens his grip lest the moisture from his sweating hands crushes the velvet and leaves evidence of his nervousness.

"Ziva!" 

He hears someone call her name in the other room and lets out a deep breath. He's been thinking about this for month, careful planning and worrying over the right time. He's finally decided to just do it and hope for the best.

Tim ducks into the living room and sees Ziva smiling and talking to Gibbs and Jenny. Forgetting his irritation for a moment, he smirks at the sight of Gibbs' arm wrapped casually around the Director's waist and the way she's leaning into his Team Leader's embrace. 

Some money is definitely going to be changing hands at NCIS in the morning.

Ziva glances away from Gibbs and even across the room her eyes find his. She smiles broadly and he smiles back. She steps away from Gibbs, hardly bothering to make her excuses as she walks towards him.

They all know where she's heading anyway. 

He wraps his arms around her waist as she slides her hand up his chest to rest under his lapel. She leans up until her lips meet his. 

Her lips brush his and then she pulls him deeper into the kiss, opening her mouth. Her tongue slips across his lips and into his mouth. 

Tim responds without thought. This is Ziva and she's in his arms. For the millionth time he wonders how he ever got this lucky. 

Two things occur to him simultaneously. One is that all eyes in the room are on them. Gibbs would never allow them to be this open at work. He feels his cheeks flush with embarrassment. The second is that he doesn't ever want to lose Ziva. That's enough to make him break the kiss, and pull away from her slightly.

His hands drift down her side, until he catches her arms and push her away gently.

The wounded look in her eyes as she tilts her head in confusion almost makes him stop, but he doesn't. He can't. This will be better.

"Tim?" 

Awkwardly he tugs at his slacks and lowers himself to one knee. He notes the ragged, matted carpet on the floor before he looks back up at Ziva. She's still staring at him in confusion.

The Director, however, is not confused. She's grinning and Tim can see the tight grip she has on Gibbs' arm. 

He reaches out and takes one of Ziva's hands.

"What are you doing," she hisses at him. "Get up."

"It's okay," he says quickly. "I wanted to give you a present."

She looks at him, now even more confused by the change of topic. 

"You know I do not celebrate Christmas."

"I know," he replies steadily. "But I'm still hoping that you'll accept this one." 

He slips his hand into his pocket and takes it out. Slowly he opens the small black box to reveal the diamond inside, glittering on a band of white gold.

"Ziva David, I love you. I love that you still can't understand idioms and I love that you can kick my ass any time you want." He brushes his lips across the knuckles of her hand. "I still have no idea why you'd want to be with me, but I don't care. I want you to stay with me for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?"

Ziva doesn't speak for a moment and for the first time Tim wonders how badly he's screwed up. He likes things how they are. He can live with it. He doesn't want to destroy what they have for something they could have in the future. 

Ziva slowly drops to her knees in front of him, bringing them back to eye level. She leans in until her face is close to his and only he can hear what she's about to say.

"You wish to marry me?"

"Yeah- yes." Saying 'I do' at this moment would just be more than he could take.

"Are you sure, Timothy?" She's speaking in that low dangerous purr now. 

He holds his breath and hopes he can summon the right words. He's never been able to figure out which way Ziva would go when she's talking like that. It's another thing he loves about her.

"I wouldn't have asked, if I wasn't," he replies calmly, with more confidence than he feels. "Yes, Ziva, I'm sure." He smiles at her, hoping he's right, knowing that if he isn't, she's still the woman he loves and that won't change. "What about you?"

"Yes."

"Yes?" The word is a woop of joy, and he crushes her too him. She's laughing against his ear and her arms are wrapped tightly around him. 

Timothy McGee has never had a better Christmas present. 


End file.
